After the reign title of Emperor Jing, there was the 'Great Governance' period, which was at least several decades apart.
The Mysterious Heaven Sect, as a chaotic force, had always sought to instigate upheaval. Zhao Xing first heard of them during the 'Great Governance' years of Emperor Jing's reign. They fell silent during the reign of Emperor Wu but became active again towards the end, thriving in their revival.
What left a deep impression on him was the fact that this chaotic force loved to stir trouble, which was quite unfriendly to cultivators who preferred stability, like the Agricultural Affairs Bureau players.
After pondering for a moment, Zhao Xing decided to set this aside. He currently had no task panel, only a personal panel. In his previous life, he would participate in any hint of a task, as any benefit was worth pursuing.
However, now he was just a small ant without any resurrection ability. For Zhao Xing in this life, as long as it did not hinder his farming and pursuit of longevity, he would not seek out trouble.
"Best to inquire less about worldly matters; as long as they don't come to bother me, what does it matter if it's the Mysterious Heaven Sect or the Earth Sect?"
After receiving the official document from the government and bidding farewell to Pang Fei, Zhao Xing headed straight for the Temple of Divinity.
He decided not to pay respects to the East Lake Duke, to avoid being asked to practice martial arts again, and went directly to the hall of True Lord Cao Xi.
The hall's attendant was somewhat surprised to see Zhao Xing again so soon. "It's only been a short while, why are you here again?"
"The documents are in order; you may enter."
"Thank you."
Zhao Xing quickly entered the hall and sat cross-legged on the mat. At this moment, there were still seven or eight people inside, of various professions, but no one made a sound; they simply closed their eyes in silence, receiving the teachings.
As Zhao Xing closed his eyes, he felt a flash of golden light before him, and the next moment, it was as if he was standing on a vast grassland.
The different scenes of the teaching indicated that the spells learned would also differ. Zhao Xing could not pinpoint which spell this scene belonged to, but he silently prayed in his heart: "I want to summon rain, I want to summon rain, please don't get it wrong, True Lord, I beg you..."
It seemed as if his prayer was heard, for soon a dark cloud began to form in the sky above the grassland.
"Boom!"
Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled.
Pitter-patter~
A cool breeze surrounded Zhao Xing, and soon raindrops began to fall on him, as if they were directly landing in his mind.
"Whoosh!"
The rain intensified.
The spells of cloud formation, thunder, and rain summoning were successively cast, cycling and repeating, continuously manifesting in Zhao Xing's heart.
He did not know how long it had been when he finally opened his eyes, and a new spell knowledge appeared in his mind: [Rain Summoning].
[Rain Summoning: Beginner Spell]
[Progress: (0/9999)]
[Effect: Precise control of rainfall.]
Zhao Xing cupped his hands in respect to True Lord and silently exited the grand hall.
The hall attendant glanced at Zhao Xing's departing figure, feeling somewhat puzzled: "Strange, this person prayed for rain and truly comprehended the Rain Summoning; does the True Lord really grant every request?"
With the [Rain Summoning] spell in hand, Zhao Xing felt quite pleased.
What kind of Agricultural Affairs Bureau cultivator would not be able to summon rain?
"The key to Rain Summoning lies in 'summoning'; it allows for precise control of rainfall. If it were another profession, the amount would depend entirely on fate."
Certain professions could also summon rain, but their spell effects and names differed, making them less effective than the Agricultural Affairs Bureau's.
For example, the hall attendant he had just seen had a spell called [Rain Seeking], but it was difficult to control the specific amount of rain. To achieve this, one must [open the altar] and prepare offerings; no matter how simplified, at the very least, one would need to carry some yellow paper.
"Teacher, I have newly comprehended [Rain Summoning]; please guide me." Eager to return to the Agricultural Affairs Bureau's Huai Liu Courtyard after learning the spell.
Old cultivator Xue Wenzhong smiled and said, "You are quite lucky; whatever you wish for comes true. With the four methods of heavenly timing, you are now fully equipped."
Of course, I am lucky; I have inherited a portion of the Great Li's Fortune, and I have already reached the second stage. How many in Grain City have reached the second stage? It is likely only the county lord and the heads of various institutions.
"The method of Rain Summoning has no shortcuts; it simply requires practice. Cloud formation, wind generation, thunder striking, and rain summoning—cast them in order, and with fine control of the spell, you will naturally be able to control the rainfall."
"The only thing to consider is the influence of the external environment," Xue Wenzhong explained. "For instance, in Huai Liu Courtyard, which is always under the spring season, with ample moisture, when you cast [Rain Summoning], the final rainfall may exceed your expectations."
"If you were to go to the eastern suburbs, where the climate is dry, casting Rain Summoning may yield less rain than you anticipated."
Zhao Xing certainly understood this; he even knew more than Xue Wenzhong. In his previous life, Agricultural Affairs Bureau players faced harsher environments during the Era of Natural Disasters and were often caught off guard... it was truly a tearful tale.
For this reason, Zhao Xing had summarized a set of 'influence factor' formulas, capable of maintaining minimal errors even in the so-called 'Vital Qi Tidal' version, which was the least friendly to Agricultural Affairs Bureau players.
He just didn't know if it would still work now, as he was no longer a player.
Next came the practice.
Zhao Xing practiced [Rain Summoning] in the courtyard.
During his first casting, Xue Wenzhong stood beside him, offering guidance.
By the third casting, Xue Wenzhong had moved to the steps.
By the tenth casting, the old cultivator was sitting on a bench.
After that... Xue Wenzhong simply lay back in a reclining chair, closing his eyes to rest.
Because Zhao Xing needed no further instruction; he had never seen anyone comprehend so quickly.
"This child should not be in the Agricultural Affairs Bureau; it truly feels like a thunderbolt from the heavens." After the practice, Xue Wenzhong sincerely remarked.
However, he still primarily offered encouragement: "Your Rain Summoning still has many shortcomings; the environment can be a disturbance, but it can also be a support."
"That small puddle in the corner, can't it be utilized to save your vital Qi? Why do you always go against it?"
Zhao Xing opened his mouth, wanting to explain something, but found no words.
He couldn't possibly say that the environment would become so harsh in the future that it would be difficult to utilize it, right? Being able to maintain opposition was already good enough; given his current realm, discussing these matters was perhaps premature.
"You are right to point this out."
Next, there was still half an hour left to practice other spells, but suddenly a servant rushed in to find Xue Wenzhong, hurriedly saying something.
Although Xue Wenzhong's expression did not change, his words revealed a hint of unease: "Today's extra practice ends here; I may not have time tomorrow, so you should practice on your own."
After saying this, Xue Wenzhong followed the servant away.
What happened?
Zhao Xing felt somewhat puzzled.
However, since they did not explain, he felt it inappropriate to ask.
That evening, after returning home, Zhao Xing lay in bed, unable to sleep, feeling a sense of unease.
He originally did not wish to investigate, but the old cultivator was one of the keys to his official position; if something were to happen, the other Agricultural Affairs Bureau members might not be willing to recommend him.
"I still need to inquire tomorrow; if there are any changes, it would be good to plan ahead." Resolving this in his mind, Zhao Xing affixed two more talismans and entered the Grand Dream Academy for a look. Finding no movement amidst the clouds and mist, he exited to sleep peacefully.
Unexpectedly, the next day, he heard some bad news.
(End of Chapter)